A Zweilt's best friend
by you-and-I-we-have-the-stars
Summary: Whilst Hotsuma makes a new friend, Shusei gets into trouble when his God's Talent evolves and spins out of control.
1. Chapter 1

Author's warning: An attempt at a multi-chaptered story that is nowhere near written out completely. Basically I only have the first chapter worked out so far, so should you decide to give this story a chance, it is at your own risk! There is a possibility that it will never get completed. Although I will do my utmost best to finish the story of course.

**Author's very important note:** This story wouldn't have come into existence if it hadn't been for Sillvog's "Dog Days". "_**Dog Days**_" is a KKM fic _**Sillvog**_ started in 2008 that sadly enough never got finished. The idea for my own fic jumpstarted from her "Dog Days" and Sillvog has been so kind to grant me the permission to run with the idea and use the basis of it for my very own Uragiri fic. Should you be interested in checking out the original work that gave birth to "A Zweilt's best friend …", then just go here: www . fanfiction s/ 4554243 /1/ Dog-Days Just remove the spaces to get the link.

Dedication: To Sillvog naturally since without Sillvog's story my own story never would have seen the light.

Characters: Shusei and Hotsuma in the main roles. Supporting roles for the rest of the Uragiri characters.

Warnings: hints towards yaoi! If you don't like yaoi or have a problem with boy X boy relationships, please read some other story than this one.

Also hinting at events that took place in the manga and anime.

Disclaimer: I don't own Uragiri or its characters. They are and remain property of Odagiri Hotaru.

Fic:

**A Zweilt's best friend …**

Hotsuma cracked his knuckles, the flesh stretched over his bones looking already bruised, torn and bloody. His eyes surveyed the alley. Three forms lay limp on the ground; two other boys remained on their feet and were looking menacing back at him. One of them held out a knife ready to strike at the blond Zweilt. The light of one of the small backdoor lights glistened off the knife's blade.

Hotsuma spat at the ground. There were dirty smears on his face and an already faint outlining of a bruise where one of the gang members had managed to plant his fist before an uppercut from Hotsuma had sent the guy to lala-land.

The guy with the knife took a step forward in Hotsuma's direction, but the blond refused to step back. He wasn't going to let himself be boxed in between the high wall at the end of the alley at his back and the guy standing in front of him.

The knife guy twisted the knife, letting it roll in his hand in anticipation for staining the knife with Hotsuma's blood.

Hotsuma's eyes narrowed, the blond preparing himself to ward off the attack and get in his own shot instead. His adversary smiled nastily. The thug obviously felt on the winning side due to him being the one holding the knife instead of Hotsuma. If only he knew, Hotsuma thought grinningly to himself.

Hotsuma hadn't planned to get drawn into a fight when he had left the arcade but when he had passed this alley and had seen these thugs cornering a girl, his chivalry side had taken over. He had come to the girl's aid and had found himself left alone behind with her thugs when the girl had made herself scares as soon as the opportunity had presented itself. Not that Hotsuma had minded. It had probably been better this way. Now he hadn't needed to worry about her safety and had he been able to focus completely on the guys who had decided to cool their anger on him for the escape of their prey.

"I'll make you feel sorry for sticking your nose in business where it ain't wanted," the knife guy said.

Hotsuma smiled back nastily. "I always make it my business when thugs like you harass innocent ladies."

The knife guy smiled back. "Don't worry. I'll cut that attitude out of you." He lifted his knife, ready to strike when suddenly a deep growling thundered through the air. The knife guy froze in his movement.

Hotsuma too became distracted by the sudden, unexpected noise. All thoughts of possible defending moves disappeared out of his head, his mind focusing completely on the sudden disruption in the air. Whatever was making that sound was in a foul mood, Hotsuma thought to himself. The growl had sounded far from happy.

The knifeless guy started backing away from the entrance of the alley. His body came to align itself with Hotsuma's. Hotsuma could see the paleness of the boy's face in the backdoor light; the thug however didn't concern himself at all with Hotsuma anymore. The guy stared in fear at something that the knife guy was still blocking from Hotsuma's purview.

Another growl sounded, louder this time and even more rage rolling off it. Whatever was making that sound obviously wasn't pleased that the knife guy had turned towards it and was brandishing the knife now in its direction.

On the stony wall to Hotsuma's left appeared a huge shadow as the creature at the entrance of the alley slowly started to walk into the narrow street. Its shadow became bigger with each step forward it made.

Hotsuma's eyes remained focused on the knife guy in front of him and the to him invisible threat. The Zweilt only took note of the advancing shadow from the corner of his eyes. Shadows were harmless, the things creating those shadows weren't.

The knife guy's courage started to waver, the guy unsure whether to attack or back away. Finally his sense of survival kicked in and the guy unconsciously took a step backwards from the advancing threat. The move nearly made him collide with Hotsuma who remained firm and refused to budge a single inch. The near collision made the knife holding guy realize what he was doing and a new wave of anger washed over him. He would show that damn creature! No one made him back down. With a mighty roar the knife guy flung himself forward, right in the arms of the threat.

Surprise overcame Hotsuma as he finally got sight of what exactly had been growling threateningly since a few moments.

A large brown dog easily evaded the stab from the knife in its direction. The dog jumped sideways, bent through its forelegs and then pushed itself off and jumped towards the wrist of the hand that held the knife. Teeth with saliva trails between them glistened in the poor light in the alley as the dog opened its muzzle to clamp it down on the knife guy's wrist.

The knife guy howled out in pain and anger as the dog's teeth closed around his wrist. His hold on the knife loosened and within a fraction of a second the knife tumbled to the ground where it got swallowed up by the rubbish littering the pavement.

Having accomplished his goal, the dog released the knife guy's flesh and landed back on its legs. Immediately after the dog jumped backwards out of kicking range of the knife guy after which the animal took back a battle ready stance should it prove necessary.

Blood sprayed out of the knife guy's wrist. The guy put pressure on the wound with his other hand whilst wailing about the stupid mug having severed a vein. Hotsuma however realized due the amount of blood the guy was losing that the dog had actually only nicked the vein. The animal had avoided administering a potentially lethal wound. Hotsuma wondered if the dog had done this deliberately or whether is was just a coincidence. His eyes travelled to the brown dog. The animal's neck hair was still raised and the dog still emitted low grumbles whilst it stayed focused on the knife guy.

"Filthy mug!" the knife guy roared out. He dashed forward to the dog and sent a kick at the animal's body whilst he kept his left hand clamped around the wound on his right wrist.

The dog easily danced out of the kick's path and jumped on a small pile of wooden boxes. The dog was now at eye level with the wounded guy.

The dog's ear flattened against its head. The hair in its neck went to stand even more upright. Its eyes narrowed and his muzzle opened and revealed its teeth anew that were now tainted red from the earlier attack. The dog's entire posture took on a stand to leap at the wounded guy and attack the guy's face.

Faced with the threat at eye level the wounded guy's face paled considerably. Sense finally seemed to kick in and the guy turned on his heels and ran out of the alley, away from the dog.

The dog's focus shifted to Hotsuma and the last remaining boy beside Hotsuma. The thug whimpered softly and seemed like he was ready to wet his pants.

The dog jumped of the pile of boxes and advanced in a slow, menacing manner on Hotsuma and the thug.

Hotsuma remained standing rooted to the spot, his brain telling him it was best not to move and set off the large dog. The guy beside him however started to back away towards the wall behind them whilst whispering in a litany "Good doggie, nice doggie."

The dog's lips started to tremble even more as his growl slow but steadily started to rise in volume again. The creature was now at the same height as Hotsuma, its focus completely on the backing up guy and ignoring Hotsuma. This didn't give Hotsuma however the false hope that he could make a run for it without the dog suddenly changing preys.

The thug in the meantime had reached the end of the line and was trembling all over now as he realized his trapped position with the dog still getting closer to him. Slowly the boy started to slide against the wall to the left, away from the dog, but the animal kept following him. Together the thug and the dog made a circle around Hotsuma's body. When the boy reached Hotsuma's left shoulder, he suddenly decided to risk it all and made a run for it. The dog leaped in action almost immediately and chased after the thug till the edge of the alley. There the dog halted and gave a final bark after the thug's retreating back as if to warn the guy to never come back here. Then the dog turned around again and its eyes now sought out Hotsuma's form.

Hotsuma felt his muscles clamp down and his heartbeat thundering in his chest, but as the dog slowly walked towards him, its menacing aura disappeared. The animal seemed to morph into a kind and normal housedog.

The dog stopped right in front of Hotsuma and sat down. Its tail started to slap softly against the ground whilst its mouth opened and a pink tongue slid out of it and remained there as the dog panted seemingly happy and proud of itself.

Hotsuma stared back at the dog, unsure what to make of this sudden change. Just a second ago the dog had looked as if it had been ready to tear out all of their throats and now it was looking at him as if it wanted a good scratch behind the ears.

Hotsuma swallowed and slowly forced himself to relax whilst staying ready just in case the dog would suddenly shift back to its Hyde form. The dog however just remained sitting there, letting the blond Zweilt make the first move.

Hotsuma bit his lip and then slowly crouched down. His mind screamed at him that he was an idiot for playing such an easy prey for the dog, but he ignored the raging voice in his head and held out his hand whilst he waited with his breath stuck in his throat.

The dog looked from the outstretched hand to Hotsuma's face and then back to the offered hand. Calmly the dog stood up and walked over to the blond's hand where it bumped its head against the hand and initiated a pet over his head by his own movement against the stilled hand.

Carefully Hotsuma dared a small movement from his fingers, stilling them almost immediately anew out of fear that the dog would perhaps not appreciate that he partook in the head rub.

The dog's muzzle opened again and the tongue lolled back out of it in a happy pant. After this the dog's head made a new bump against Hotsuma's hand to encourage the blond on.

Slowly Hotsuma started to pet the dog, becoming bolder as the dog's only reaction was the happy panting and its eyes closing as it enjoyed the petting. Hotsuma rubbed the dog behind its ears. "You're not so scary, are you?" he laughed out, his earlier fear completely evaporated now that the dog didn't resemble in any way anymore the earlier threat.

He gave a final pet to the dog's head and then straightened back up. "Thanks for the help. Even if I could have taken them easily out on my own," he winked. The dog tilted its head slightly to the right in answer and looked at the blond teen questioningly as if it had understood him.

"What?" Hotsuma reacted. "You're doubting me?"

The dog stood up and bent through its front legs. It released a bark as if to tell Hotsuma that he was indeed not buying the blond's bravura.

A laugh escaped Hotsuma's throat. "You're as bad as my partner," he grinned.

The dog gave another answering bark.

Hotsuma crouched back down and rubbed the spot behind the dog's left ear. "Oh? So now you are agreeing with me, are you? You know, you kinda remind me off him. You've got the same brown hair although his is softer to the touch and doesn't smell this bad."

The dog jumped away from the blond Zweilt and released a salvo of protesting barks. It brought forth a laugh from Hotsuma. "All right, all right. I apologize. Friends again?"

The dog barked a single time.

"Good," Hotsuma replied. "I wouldn't want to get on your bad side. You seem as scary as Shusei can get and speaking of Shusei, I'd better get home or he'll be on my case for staying out late again. See ya around."

Hotsuma gave a final wave to the dog and then sauntered out of the alley back into the well-lit street. His hands slipped into his pockets and he casually strolled down the street, regarding some windows of shops and ignoring others. He didn't give any indication of it, but he was highly aware that the dog had followed him out of the alley and was trailing behind him. He hadn't seen any collar on the dog so he was assuming it was a stray dog, and he did feel pity for the homeless animal, but he couldn't very well bring a dog with him back to the Twilight Mansion. Takashiro would skin him alive. And so he was hoping that if he kept ignoring the dog that it would give up following him.

As he reached the gate of the mansion, Hotsuma sighed and turned around. The dog stopped too and looked expectantly up at him.

"Listen," Hotsuma started, scratching the back of his head," you seem to be a great dog and all, but you can't stay here. The owner of this place is a real devil. I'm doing you a favor by keeping you away from him."

The dog trotted over to Hotsuma and walked past him, stopping just inside the gates. It gazed at the mansion and then turned its head towards Hotsuma and released a single bark to encourage the blond on to hurry up.

Hotsuma shrugged his shoulders and walked over to the dog. "Don't say I didn't warn you," he rebutted the dog as he stepped past the animal.

Together they strolled over the drive towards the small landing that lead up to the front door. Hotsuma jogged up the stairs and the dog followed him but took the steps at a calmer pace. The blond Zweilt gave a final glance at the brown dog. "Last chance," he spoke up. The dog merely regarded him, waiting patiently for Hotsuma to open the front door for him.

"Well, it is your funeral," Hotsuma relented before he opened the big front door and held it open for the dog to pass and walk into the brightly lit hallway.

"Guess we can better first find Shusei. Maybe he'll know what to do with you before Takashiro turns us both into dog stew."

The dog released a happy bark in reply, making Hotsuma immediately fall to his knees beside the brown dog and clamp its muzzle shut. "Sshh," he hissed. "Do you want to give the game up?"

"Shusei, you found him!"

Hotsuma winced as Toko came running from the living room towards him and the dog. "I can explain," he started when suddenly the name Toko had used registered.

Shusei?

Hotsuma looked around him, expecting to spot his partner somewhere in the hallway. The place however was empty apart from him, the dog, Toko and Tsukumo whom was following his sister at a more sedated pace.

Toko crouched down in front of him and the dog and rubbed the dog behind its ears. "Smart boy. I should have known not to doubt you."

Hotsuma frowned. "Do you know this dog?" he asked, looking from the dog to Toko.

"That's a matter of how you look at it," Tsukumo answered calmly, making the blond look up at him in question. Tsukumo didn't look his usual happy self. The gray-haired boy seemed troubled.

"What's going on here?" Hotsuma demanded. "And where is Shusei?"

Toko and Tsukumo shared a look before Toko straightened back up. "I think you can better come with us, Hotsuma."

* * *

Hotsuma stared at the figure laying limply on the bed. He took a hesitant step forward into the room and towards the bed.

"You know how his God's Talent was slowly evolving, right?" Tsukumo asked from somewhere behind Hotsuma. Hotsuma could only nod, his complete focus remaining on the boy on the bed in front of him. The brunet appeared to be just sleeping, but if that were the case, Tsukumo and Toko wouldn't be making such a big deal out of all of this. Not to mention that if Shusei really was just taking a nap, then he should have woken up already, shouldn't he?

"Apparently Shusei has been practicing with a newly developed ability he didn't share yet with any of us," Tsukumo continued. "We are not completely sure how it works, Shusei is probably the only one who can give the finer details of the workings, but I am guessing it comes down to Shusei being able to use his God's eyes to look through the eyes of other living beings."

One word caught Hotsuma's interest and he glanced unbelieving over his shoulder at the Murasame siblings who were standing just inside the room and keeping a reasonable distance between themselves and the bed as if they didn't truly felt allowed to be in the room here with him and Shusei. "You guess?" Hotsuma repeated disbelieving. "My partner is in some sort of fucking coma and you are guessing?!" With each new word, Hotsuma's tone of voice rose in volume. "How about actually knowing what is going on here and how the fuck we can get him to wake up anew?!"

"Tachibana has been trying to contact Takashiro, Hotsuma," Toko spoke, taking a hesitant step towards Hotsuma, not sure how she could comfort the boy or even if the blond would appreciate such a gesture from her. "Just remain a bit longer calm. Takashiro will know what to do. We are convinced of it."

Hotsuma released a condescending sound and returned his attention to his sleeping partner on the bed. "So what? Shusei decided to take a lovely stroll in the city through the eyes of this mutt," he gestured at the dog that had followed him home and was sitting calmly beside him, "and got somehow stuck in the dog? This dog is Shusei. Is that what you are telling me?" His golden eyes returned to the siblings for confirmation.

"It appears so," Tsukumo answered. "As we understand it, Shusei has to enter someone's mind and take it over to be able to see through the eyes of someone else. But whilst he never had a problem to return to his own body before, his mind now seems to be stuck in the dog."

"Pfh, can't he just take his own mind over anew then so he can be back in his own damn body?" Hotsuma reasoned. His eyes came to focus on the dog that was still sitting dutifully beside him. "That's your fucking body, Shusei," Hotsuma pointed a finger at the form on the bed, "stop playing around and get back in it."

The three Zweilts all waited for a few moments, each of them perhaps in their own way expecting some kind of miracle to happen after all. Perhaps Hotsuma's Voice of God being enough to snap Shusei back out of it and return the boy back to his own form cause hadn't Hotsuma already been able to bring Shusei back from the dead before with just his voice? Surely this should be child's play in comparison to that, no? But minutes ticked by without anything happening.

Finally Hotsuma gave up. He sagged down on his knees beside the bed and gently took hold of Shusei's limp hand. "You stupid idiot," he murmured, his tone of voice laced with affection mingled with pain and helplessness. "Why do you always have to take such stupid risks?"

Tsukumo and Toko shared a look. Both felt like they were intruding now. Softly they stepped out of Shusei's bedroom and gently shut the door so Hotsuma could have some privacy.

The blond Zweilt remained sitting beside the bed that held his partner's limp form, Shusei's cold and pale hand clasped gently between his two warm and darker tanned ones. Beside him, the brown dog shuffled closer to the bed and laid its head on the blankets beside the Zweilts' clasped hands. Faithful, sad brown eyes stared at the centre of Hotsuma's attention, the trapped Zweilt inside the dog feeling pained for the hurt he was causing the one who meant the world to him. If only there was a way for him to make the blond smile and happy again. For now all he could do however was remain by Hotsuma's side and offer the blond Zweilt his silent support and comfort. Hopefully it would be enough to ease some of the pain in Hotsuma's heart.

Shusei made a soft whining noise and buried his nose a bit deeper into the blankets. Together, he and Hotsuma kept watch by his body.

* * *

TBC ?

* * *

Author's note: Okay, so this was the first chapter to a possible new story that has been hounding my brain and wouldn't leave me alone until I decided to give it a go to put it down on paper. I don't know if any of you are interested in this type of story though so let me just ask. Do you guys want me to continue this story or not? Do you see a potential in it? Like the idea so far? Want to see more interaction between Hotsuma and dog Shusei? Or should I just abandon the idea and not try to write more chapters for it? By the way, this story is completely unwritten, so I am always open for cute suggestions that I can use in further chapters. I don't have a dog myself so I am basing this all on the dog of my neighbours, who is a sweetheart by the way, but perhaps you guys are dog owners and can help me out with ideas. What all happens in a dog's daily life? And how are his/her's interactions with its owners? If I use one of your ideas, I will give you of course credit for it.

Author's note 2: So basically the first author's note is just a polite way to ask for reviews, ideas and your global opinion. Thanks very much to everyone who is willing to put the time in leaving me such a review.

Author's note 3: The idea for Shusei's new developed talent comes from the "_**Study series**_" written by_** Maria V. Snyder**_. One of the main characters in her books also possess a similar power, she just however never managed to get stuck in someone else's mind, LOL. In any case, it is a wonderful serie that I adored reading and if you love fantasy coupled with romance, then I can recommend Maria V. Snyder's books to you.


	2. Chapter 2

Author's note: I have to be honest here and admit that I hadn't expected so many reactions at all for the first chapter of the story. Thank you all very much. Thanks for reviewing, favouriting and/or following the story. I feel kinda scared now to continue onward, fearing I will only come to disappoint you all … Really, I am overwhelmed by all the attention this story has gotten so far. I guess you all are missing Uragiri just as much as I am. May our beloved sensei have her health back soon and treat us anew to wonderful and exciting chapters. In the meantime, I guess we will have to make due with fan fiction …

Review thanks: Some of you already got a message from me to thank you for the support you showed to this story, but for those who have no account on ffn or weren't logged in on their account at the time of leaving their review:

* **mlt**, **Guest**, **rafa**: thank you for the review and as you can see, I am doing my best to continue the story. Hopefully you'll continue to like the story. And rafa, please don't curse me … Thank you.

* **SaphSoul**: You have caught on to something already that will come into play much later too in the fic, namely Shusei's affection for Hotsuma and his degree of showing this to the blond Zweilt. As for where to let Shusei sleep … Since Shusei's bed is taken, Hotsuma has no other option but to share his bed with Shusei. About time after all the space hogging Hotsuma has done in Shusei's bed.

Warnings (they still apply!): hints towards yaoi! If you don't like yaoi or have a problem with boy X boy relationships, please read some other story than this one.

Also hinting at events that took place in the manga and anime.

Disclaimer: I don't own Uragiri or its characters. They are and remain property of Odagiri Hotaru.

**A Zweilt's best friend**

Chapter 2:

Shusei cracked one eye open and stared at Hotsuma. God's Eyes had long ago foregone his earlier position. Instead of still sitting beside Hotsuma, he was now laying full out on the ground with his head on his front paws. His brown eyes were closed but he wasn't sleeping. He was only resting and over thinking things whilst staying by Hotsuma's side. Only now and then did he surface from his inner musings to take a quick glance at his partner but nothing significant had changed since a few hours ago when Hotsuma had been made aware off Shusei's current predicament. The blond boy was still sitting beside the bed Shusei's abandoned body occupied.

Shusei's interest got peeked as once again Hotsuma unfolded his legs from underneath his body. The brunet's head lifted itself up from his paws and his ears came to stand upright and positioned forward in Hotsuma's direction. Shusei hoped against hope that this time around his partner would indeed get up and throw off the depressing state God's Voice had draped around him like some cloak. But just as before, Hotsuma only shifted his limbs to relieve them from the soreness that undoubtly had crept in them. Disappointed Shusei watched Hotsuma place himself in a new position to continue his uninterrupted vigilance.

Shusei sighed and rose in a fluent manner to his four paws. Hotsuma's little brooding episode had gone on for long enough. Shusei had enough of it. He sauntered over to the curled in on himself blond. The nails of his paws ticked on the wooden floor whilst he advanced on Hotsuma, the sound alone already enough of an alert to let Hotsuma know of his approach but the blond Zweilt remained unresponsive.

Shusei gave a new sigh. Even depressed, his partner was stubborn.

Shusei brought his front paws of the ground and let himself fall full weight on Hotsuma. His action didn't proof to be futile. Immediately a response shot forward out off the brooding teen underneath him.

"Fuck, Shusei!" Hotsuma objected. His right arm came upward to try and push Shusei's dog form off him, but Shusei wouldn't have it. Panting happily he remained on top of the blond boy, forcing like this back some life and fire into his quenched partner whilst trying to get his message across.

Hotsuma gave a few more struggles, before he stilled underneath Shusei. For a moment both Zweilt found themselves into a standstill where neither spoke nor moved until Hotsuma broke the silence. "Alright, alright," Hotsuma spoke. His left hand hit the floor boards, mimicking how wrestlers indicated in a match to their opponent that they admitted defeat and could be released safely. "You're right. Sitting here won't accomplish anything. I give. No more brooding."

As soon as the promise had left Hotsuma's mouth, Shusei complied and got off Hotsuma. The blond looked sideways at Shusei in his dog form. He regarded the large brown dog for a few moments before a sparkle of amusement came to flicker lightly in his golden eyes. It was small and faint, but Shusei felt relieved cause at least it was there unlike before when Hotsuma's eyes had looked dull and there had hung a shadow over Hotsuma.

Hotsuma chuckled. "No offence, Shusei, but you're heavy and you smell." To emphasize his point, Hotsuma waved his right hand in front of him as if to get rid of a stench in the air in front of him.

Shusei barked a single time to convey his disagreement with Hotsuma.

His partner's disgruntled response made Hotsuma laugh. "Hey," he continued, bringing his hands up in front of him as a gesture of innocence on his part, "I can't help you chose a homeless dog to inhabit instead of some spoiled little brat of a poodle or so who goes to the beauty salon every week."

Shusei gave a row of protesting barks. The light of the bedroom lights glistened off his long canine teeth, but instead of reacting scared or feeling threatened, the sight only made Hotsuma lean in closer. "And we really have to do something about those teeth too," Hotsuma mused, staring at Shusei's muzzle. "You're looking like one of those dogs out of a fighting ring after a good round." His hand reached out and touched lightly some of the fur right beside Shusei's jaw. Blood was still caked in there from the earlier fight when Shusei had bitten the knife wielder to make the thug release his hold on his weapon.

Shusei stilled during Hotsuma's examination. He didn't want to knick the blond Zweilt by accident. Hotsuma noticed Shusei's compliance and a mischievous glint appeared in God's Voice's golden eyes. He brought his hand to Shusei's head and patted him a few times in a rewarding way between the ears. "Good boy, Shusei. If only you were this docile all the time …"

His words weren't yet cold or Shusei jumped away from him and started to bark loudly in protest at him.

Hotsuma laughed, bringing his hands up in a surrendering gesture. "Okay, okay. I see you've completely migrated in there. I'll have to be careful with what I say. Wouldn't want to get on your doggie's bad side."

Shusei gave a final bark before he made a sound that sounded like a huff to Hotsuma.

Hotsuma grinned in response. Even as a dog, Shusei was still Shusei and he was still able to easily get under Shusei's skin and bring fourth his partner's rotten character. In a way this knowledge comforted Hotsuma cause it made him feel and realize all the more that Shusei was indeed still with him and that he hadn't lost the brunet. His partner had just changed into another brunet. A currently reeking brunet …

"No, but seriously, Shusei," Hotsuma started, jokes and goofing put aside, "you could do with a bath and teeth scrub."

Picking up on Hotsuma's serious tone of voice, Shusei turned his head as far as he could backwards and inspected his fur. He gave a few good sniffs at the fur and came to the conclusion that Hotsuma did have a point. It could have been worse cause his fur still wasn't looking grim or all tangled up, but an odor was indeed rising from his pelt. But how was he going to have to wash himself? Going by Hotsuma's tone of voice, Shusei doubted that the blond Zweilt had meant that Shusei should just groom himself and that that would be enough.

Seeming to notice what was running through Shusei's head, Hotsuma spoke up and made Shusei turn his attention onto the blond. "I'll wash you. I don't mind," Hotsuma spoke up cheerfully. "What good is having a partner otherwise?"

Hotsuma didn't wait for Shusei's response. The blond Zweilt rose to his full height and started to pat over towards the bedroom door. Shusei could hear Hotsuma mumble to himself a list of all he would need for Shusei's grooming session, the blond unaware that the brunet dog wasn't following him. Shusei merely regarded his partner. He had no idea where Hotsuma's enthusiasm to wash and brush him had come from suddenly but he didn't share Hotsuma's enthusiasm. However, Shusei also fully well realized that there would be no getting out of it. Knowing his partner's stubbornness, he would only be able to escape Hotsuma's care if he put up a fight and this was the last thing Shusei wanted to do. Finally Hotsuma had back a spark in him and did the blond resemble again a bit more the Hotsuma Shusei had come to known and love. Shusei didn't want to lose this made progress for a thing in the world which consequently meant that he had no chance off backing out of Hotsuma's new found resolve. Resigning himself to his fate, Shusei straightened up and started to trot after Hotsuma. At least in this body Hotsuma wouldn't get confronted with his burn scars.

Unaware of Shusei's less than thrilling reaction to his suggestion of a nice soak in a tub, Hotsuma was going over everything he knew about washing and trimming a dog … Which was in all fairness not all that much. But it couldn't be all that different from washing your own hair, the blond reasoned and so he led the way in high spirits towards the Zweilts' joined bathroom. Not only did washing the dog's fur give him something to do instead of just sitting around and mulling about Shusei's current state without him really being able to do something to help his partner get back into his body, but finally he would also be able to take care of his partner like Shusei had been doing unselfishly for him for years.

The two Zweilts weren't yet half way the hallway when a yell sounded. Both Hotsuma and Shusei paused in their track. A few feet away from them was Isuzu. The scientist was waving enthusiastically at them and calling both their names whilst he came running towards them in a manner that seemed to resemble an incoming stampede. Hotsuma's instant reaction was to run and hide, but Isuzu was already upon them before the blond could take a single step. The doctor's enthusiasm however wasn't for the blond Zweilt for once. Isuzu's eyes quickly slipped from Hotsuma to the large brown dog beside the blond Zweilt. A tense silence blew through the hallway, shattered a few moments later when Isuzu's glasses got a sinister glance and the man suddenly reacted as if Luka had volunteered to be his guinea pig.

"So it is true!" Isuzu squealed. He began to jump around Shusei immediately, examining the dog from top to bottom and from left to right. Before Hotsuma knew it, Isuzu was shoving Shusei forward with his hands against the dog's backside. "Just come to my private office, Shusei, and we'll have you sorted out in no time! A thorough examination will reveal the problem!"

Hotsuma immediately stepped in front of the advancing pair. He stared menacing down upon Isuzu, his knuckles crunching ominously. "Get your hands of my partner. Shusei ain't going anywhere with you."

Isuzu forewent his position at Shusei's side and slung instead an arm around Hotsuma. "Hotsu, Hotsu," Isuzu calmly said in a reprimanding manner, seemingly not at all shaken by Hotsuma's angry aura. "You need to learn to share, Hotsu," the good doctor continued. "After all, it is not every day I can examine a Zweilt in animal form in my office. Just imagine the possibilities. The knowledge this can provide us." Isuzu's eyes started to shine anew as if the doctor had just discovered a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Hotsuma however didn't share Isuzu's heartiness. An angry vein was pulsating on the blond's forehead. "He ain't in your office, nor will he step foot in it!" Hotsuma shook Isuzu's arm off his shoulder. "Shusei ain't some fucking lab rat to play around with!"

Isuzu clasped a hand over his heart and took a step away from the blond Zweilt. A wounded expression came to adorn the doctor's face. "I am hurt, Hotsu, that you would think so ill off me. Have I not always surrounded all of you with my utmost care?"

"You fucking use me as a guinea pig for your weird concoctions!" Hotsuma accused with a loud and raised voice.

"Of course I do," Isuzu replied back. "You wouldn't want me to try them out on beautiful Shusei or sweet innocent Yuki, now would you?" His tone of voice held a note that suggested that Hotsuma was an idiot for not knowing and having thought about this himself.

"Don't freaking test them out on anyone!" Hotsuma shouted back, all fired up.

"Aha, I see what the real problem is here." Isuzu pushed his pair of glasses back a bit higher upon his nose. "You are jealous cause I let Toma test out my God's Taste potion."

"What the fuck?!" Hotsuma shot back. The blond stared thunderstruck back at their resident doctor. Surely the man had to be joking? How could Isuzu have gone from him demanding to stop being used as a guinea pig, to him being mad that he had managed to at least escape one crazy experimental potion?

"Don't worry, Hotsu," Isuzu said, slinging his arm anew around the blond teen and smiling brightly at Hotsuma. "You are still my number one test subject."

"I don't wanna be your number one freaking lab rat! Get your hands off me!" Hotsuma slipped out from underneath Isuzu's arm and stepped away from the doctor. His right hand came up and he pointed an imprecating finger at Isuzu. "Do us all a favor and leave! We'll be much safer like that!"

"My, my, Hotsuma," Tachibana appeared around the corner, "that's no way to speak to Isuzu. The good doctor only has your best concern at heart." The resident steward slithered up to Hotsuma's side, put his hands on Hotsuma's shoulders and started to lead the blond Zweilt away from Shusei and Isuzu.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Hotsuma protested. The blond teen whirled out of Tachibana's grasp. His eyes narrowed as he regarded their mansion's steward. "You're being suspicious."

Tachibana started to laugh nervously whilst waving his hands in front of him. "Nothing's going on. I swear. I just thought it would be a nice moment for you and I to have some tea together," Tachibana voiced in a high-strung manner.

Hotsuma's facial expression darkened. "Are those freeloaders here again?" he asked, a dangerous edge to his words. "Tell them I have no interest in seeing them." At hearing Hotsuma refer to his parents, Shusei too looked more intensely at Tachibana, trying to figure out what was behind the man's words and behavior.

Tachibana sighed and his cheerful demeanor disappeared. "I just wanted to have a chat to you, Hotsuma, concerning the recent events. It is not like we have every day a Zweilt pair being split up due to a problematic turn of events."

Hotsuma's eyebrows furrowed. He had a feeling that Tachibana wasn't telling him everything and a quick glance at Shusei told him that his partner was thinking the same thing. "Whatever it is, it will have to wait," Hotsuma replied, starting to walk back over to Shusei. "I was just going to clean up Shusei. You'll have to wait till after." Hotsuma acted casual, but he felt every fiber in his being hum with nervous harbingers. If Tachibana wanted to talk to him alone without Shusei being present, then it couldn't be any good. And with how things currently stood, Hotsuma was willing to bet that whatever it was that Tachibana wanted to discuss, it had to do something with Shusei. Hotsuma didn't want to face this without his partner by his side. Besides, if it was about Shusei, didn't the brunet have a right to know then? "Shusei and I will come down after his bath."

Tachibana was at a loss off words. This outcome was not the one the steward had been going for, but then suddenly help came out of an unexpected corner.

"We can wash Shusei for you." Lia's cheerful voice floated over to where the three males and Shusei stood.

Tachibana immediately latched on to the proposal with both hands like a drowning man to a life buoy. He jumped towards Lia, grabbed her both hands and smiled so brightly at her that he could have put an entire pile of sparkling diamonds to shame. "Excellent idea, Lia. Toko." His attention turned slightly to Lia's right where Toko stood, including the other female Zweilt also in his gratitude.

Hotsuma looked past Tachibana at Lia. "When the hell did you come back?" he demanded in a gruff voice.

Lia's face immediately sobered up as she turned her attention on Hotsuma. "Not that it is any of your business, but Sairi and I just got back. Toko filled me in about Shusei."

"And what?" Hotsuma scowled. "You had to come and gape at him straight away as if he is some freakish attraction in a zoo?"

"Lia was concerned and wanted to see if she could be of any help," Toko calmly answered. "You could try to act a bit more civil, Hotsuma," Toko continued in a chastising tone of voice. Beside her Lia stuck her tongue out at Hotsuma.

"We don't need your freaking help," Hotsuma shot back. "I am perfectly capable of taking care of my own partner. You'll just have him smell all girly and with ridiculous big curlers in his fur!"

"Oh, what an excellent idea!" Lia cheered immediately. The girl clasped her hands together in an excited manner whilst her eyes sparkled. "We can give him a perm and do his nails! I've seen them already do this on the set of my photo shoots. It doesn't look so hard. I'm sure I can manage. We can even add a nice bow." Her eyes turned calculating onto Shusei. "Dark blue I think," she continued, considering in her head possible colors for the bow.

Hotsuma took a step to the right and placed himself more in front of Shusei. His right hand shot out and he held his arm defensively in front of Shusei. "He ain't some fucking chihuahua in a purse!"

Lia rolled her eyes. "Just because you're an idiot, doesn't mean we are too," she shot back. "Of course Shusei won't fit in a purse. We're not blind."

"Then keep your filthy stuff away from him," Hotsuma replied hotly.

"Filthy stuff?!" Lia repeated unbelieving. "I'll have you know that they charge large sums for grooming dogs. You should be grateful I am willing to do it for free." The girl planted both her hands in her side and glared at Hotsuma.

"Screw you! I didn't ask for anything!"

"You're so immature, you ingrate!" Lia spat back.

"Children, children," Tachibana stepped forward and placed himself between the two fuming teens. "There is no need to turn our lovely hallway into a battlefield. I am convinced that if we try, we can come to some sort of arrangement." Tachibana turned expecting eyes on Hotsuma. The blond Zweilt glared stubbornly back at him, Hotsuma's entire posture telling the steward that the blond Zweilt wasn't willing to budge a single inch. Tachibana started to feel deeply disheartened. He didn't get how Shusei managed to keep Hotsuma in line. The brunet always made it seem like there was nothing to it, but here he was, sweating like an otter and without getting anywhere with the stubborn blond. Only Shusei and Yuki seemed to be able to exercise some control over Hotsuma but sadly neither boys were currently an option. Yuki was in the residence of Kamakura and Shusei was currently a dog. Tachibana doubted Hotsuma would be able to understand dog talk even if Shusei did try to persuade Hotsuma to collaborate.

Tachibana sighed, ready to admit defeat when he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Shusei seemed to have taken pity on him. The trapped in the dog Zweilt had gotten to his feet and trotted over to Lia and Toko where he went to sit down between the two girls.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Hotsuma shouted at Shusei.

Shusei remained silent and only regarded Hotsuma expectantly.

"You're seriously going to trust them not to turn you into some competing winning poodle?" Hotsuma's tone of voice communicated his ongoing disbelief concerning Shusei's decision. Shusei got back to his four paws and barked a single time to convey his answer.

Hotsuma sighed. "Fine. It's your fur," he begrudgingly gave in. "But if you end up stinking like some flower shop, you can find some other place to sleep."

Shusei gave another bark in reply whilst Toko and Lia clasped their hands together above Shusei and jumped up and down in glee.

* * *

Hotsuma stepped into Takashiro's office. He didn't like that Tachibana had led him here for their talk instead of the living room where they usually got briefed by the residence's steward or Takashiro himself. His mood darkened even further when his eyes fell on the person standing by the window in the office.

"What the hell is he doing here?!" Hotsuma barked out aggressively at Tachibana after which he immediately voiced his next words directly at the other person present in Takashiro's office: "Don't you have some women to seduce you damn skirt-chaser?!"

Sairi turned away from the window. As usual, the older blond was looking like the poster boy for perfectness. Even though the wind made the curtain at the window bulge mildly, not a single hair on Sairi's head was out of place despite the blond having stood right beside the open window. His white dress shirt was speckles, not a single stain - no matter how small - or hair on the white fabric and the same could be said for the tight fitting black pants Sairi wore. His shoes shone as if they had just been polished or were just brand new and had just been released out of the confiscating space of the shoebox in which they had been cooped up.

"Always a pleasure to see you too, midget. I had been hoping to meet up with Yuki, but unfortunately, Tachibana carted me in here instead. Saying he needed me here. Who am I to deny such a desperate request?"

"Yuki's just fine, bastard. He doesn't need you. He has us. We can take perfectly care of him ourselves. Same for us. So just get on your broom and fly back to wherever you came from." Hotsuma had moved forward during his speech and was now standing straight in front of Sairi.

"If that's so," Sairi leant forward and took Hotsuma's chin between his fingers, "then why is your partner running around on four paws?" he asked in a patronizing tone of voice.

Hotsuma slapped Sairi's hand away. "Get your filthy germ infested hand of me! Who knows where those fingers have been!"

Sairi smirked. "At least I am getting around. What about you, fire-trigger idiot? Still a virgin?"

"We can't all be whoring around!" Hotsuma immediately shot back. "Perhaps that is your true Zweilt talent. Scratch that creepy eye of you. You're just …"

"Gentlemen, gentlemen," Tachibana popped up between the two arguing Zweilts, cutting Hotsuma's insult short. "Hotsu," he turned his attention on the shorter blond, "I asked Sairi to be present at this meeting because he and Lia were at our main residence in Kyoto."

Although the information peeked Hotsuma's interest, the blond had no idea why Tachibana was telling him this or what this had to do with Shusei's current situation. "So?" he barked out impolitely. His eyes still spat fire, the blond ready to resume his insulting match with Sairi at a drop notice.

Tachibana sighed. He walked to Takashiro's desk and went to sit on top of the wooden surface. Really, one day Hotsuma Renjou would be the death of him. "The residence in Kyoto where the Giou library of magic books is located," he clarified.

"And?" Hotsuma asked impatiently. He had never been particularly fond of books, not like Shusei. He didn't give a crap about the family library.

"When we learned of Shusei's condition, I put in a call to Kyoto," Tachibana explained. "I spoke to Rou, your master, and asked him if he knew anything about this particular talent of Shusei. Unfortunately he had never heard of a God's Eye being able to possess an animal. Neither has Shizuka. However, they promised to look into the matter. Sairi and Lia were with them at that moment and helped out going through the books at the library."

"And?" Hotsuma's eyes turned expectant and hopeful on Sairi, his earlier unhappiness about the other blond's presence forgotten.

Sairi's eyes turned sympathetic and he shook his head. "There was nothing in the books. Not even a hint towards it."

Hotsuma's eyebrows furrowed. "What does that mean? It's completely new? Undeveloped before?"

"It would appear to be so," Tachibana answered. "However, the only one who can truly affirm this, is Takashiro-sama. Unfortunately Takashiro isn't reachable at the moment."

Hotsuma whirled his attention anew upon Tachibana. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

"I am not entirely sure. When I spoke to Fuyutoki, I was informed that Takashiro would be out of touch for a few days which is strange cause no divine ritual has been scheduled as far as I know off."

Sairi took a step away from the window. "Do you think Takashiro-sama's absence is related to Shusei's newly developed talent?" he asked calmly.

"I don't know," Tachibana answered honestly. "But as it is, we are on our own for now and so we need to be on our guard. Takashiro hasn't spoken of any attack coming our way in the near future, but he neither warned about this newly developed talent of Shusei. As long as Shusei is stuck in that dog's body, you two," Tachibana's eyes came to rest on Hotsuma, "are vulnerable."

Hotsuma huffed. "I can take care of myself."

"I am sure you can," Tachibana started diplomatic, "however," his attention came to settle on Sairi. Graveness appeared in Tachibana's eyes, a feeling that filled the air in the office and came to prickle Hotsuma's senses whilst Tachibana and Sairi silently communicated. Finally Sairi broke the eye contact and turned his eyes on Hotsuma.

"There was a reason Lia and I were in Kyoto. We weren't just there to train at working as a team. Takashiro sent us cause the residence in Kyoto had been getting reports about unnatural phenomena taking place in the mountains there. Lia and I went to investigate the possible cause of these phenomena since the residence's habitants had been unable to discover the origin behind them."

"And what did you find?" Hotsuma demanded. He felt a certain dread running through his body. Even without having said anything yet concrete, Hotsuma had a feeling that whatever Sairi would tell him next, wouldn't be good.

"We didn't discover anything," Sairi replied. "Only found spots of highly concentrated demonic energy. A residue left behind by some powerful Opast. A few of them to be more precise. We found at least four different signatures."

"Then why aren't we sending people there?" Hotsuma asked confused. "Why did you even come back? Shouldn't we track them down and send them back?"

Sairi and Tachibana shared another uneasy look before Tachibana continued. "Since this morning these strange phenomena have started to move in a direct pathway to Tokyo. Whoever is behind them is coming here."

"A Zweilt alone will be no match against them," Sairi took over. "From what Lia and I managed to sense, we aren't even certain a Zweilt pair at its full potential will be able to take down just one of them."

Hotsuma's shocked eyes turned from Sairi to Tachibana where he found the same seriousness edged on the steward's face.

"Our enemy is making his move," Tachibana said, "and it is very likely we won't be able to fend them off."

* * *

TBC

* * *

Author's note: Well, what can I say? Uragiri, wouldn't be the same without some troubles coming their way, right? But don't worry, shit won't hit the fan right away. Hotsuma and Shusei need to have some cute moments together after all, don't they? And who knows? Perhaps what is coming their way won't even be Shusei and Hotsuma's biggest concern …


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Thanks to everyone who reviewed. Not much happening in this new chapter, but I promise that shit will hit the fan next chapter … Combined with hopefully some fluffy times between Shusei and Hotsuma.

Review thanks: For those who have no account on ffn or weren't logged in on their account at the time of leaving their review:

* **Rafa**: many thanks for letting me off the hook curse wise. And thank you for the kind words. I will do my best to complete the story. More Sairi and Lia anew here. I find myself better able at writing them than Senshiro and Kuroto … My apologies to fans of this pairing!

* **yuurichama**: thank you for loving this story. Sorry I can't update quicker. I fear I don't have that much time to write … I will do my best for an update each month. Just don't kill me should I fail and it turns out to be a bit longer before a new chapter appears.

* **Crazy reviewer:** sorry for being so slow with updating the story. I don't have that much time to write so my updates will be and remain slowish I fear. My apologies.

Warnings (continue to apply!): hints towards yaoi! If you don't like yaoi or have a problem with boy X boy relationships, please read some other story than this one.

Also hinting at events that took place in the manga and anime.

Disclaimer: I don't own Uragiri or its characters. They are and remain property of Odagiri Hotaru.

* * *

**A Zweilt's best friend**

Chapter 3

Hotsuma stared bleary eyed at the amount of food he had loaded upon his plate. He couldn't quite well remember having loaded up his plate like this. Nor why he had thought that it would be such a good idea to grab this much from the displayed breakfast items. His golden eyes travelled for what felt like the hundred time that morning to the chair beside him. The chair was empty. A stab through his heart even if Susei was right there with him, just not at the table.

Tooma, the Twilight Mansion's cook, had filled a bowl for Shusei with freshly, steamed chicken after which their resident cook had fidgeted nervously around whilst trying to figure out where to actually place the bowl. Shusei was now a dog so the normal course would have been to place the bowl on the ground however, it was Shusei. Tooma hadn't felt completely okay with forcing the trapped inside the dog's body Zweilt to eat off the ground. But that had brought the cook to a new dilemma … Could he let a dog eat at the table? Was it hygienic? And what about the others? Would it take away their appetite? Would it make the others leave the table without having breakfast and leaving all the wonderful food he had cooked for them untouched? The cook had come close to just jumping out off the window, bowl still in his hand, when Hotsuma had intervened and had told Tooma to just put the bowl on the ground. Shusei had made no move to try and climb on a chair after all and seemed content enough to just sit on the ground and await his breakfast being placed down right there. Tooma had given Shusei his food with a relieved sigh, but Hotsuma hadn't been able to share the cook's relief. Whilst the breakfast's dilemma had been currently resolved, the rest still wasn't. The one time Hotsuma actually wanted the bastard's input, Takashiro had decided to take a leave of absence. Shusei was still a dog and on top of that four, if not more, powerful Opasts were coming their way. It was no wonder he had no appetite … Or had been able to get a decent night of sleep.

Hotsuma's mind wandered back to last night. The blond had tossed and turned around in his bed all night not being able to close his eyes for longer than a few moments. Sairi and Tachibana's words had been going through his head like a record on constant repeat motion. They had no clue how to help Shusei and if what they had told him about those powerful Opasts was true, then when those demons would arrive, they would be sent out just to get killed. Slaughtered. Cannon fodder.

Hotsuma knew that this was in a way their purpose, they protected the innocents against forces normal humans stood no chance against, but it didn't mean that he liked it. Or that it didn't scare the hell out of him. He was still in high school damn it. He didn't want to die yet. There was still so much left to do, to see, to experience …

Yesterday evening they had all been summoned to a large meeting during which everyone had been clued in on the approaching threat. Toko and Tsukumo had tossed a worried glance in his direction when Tachibana had stated that from now on no Zweilt was allowed to go out without his partner but Hotsuma had pointedly ignored the siblings. He had just kept stroking Shusei's fur as Shusei had been sitting dutifully on the ground right next to the couch he had been occupying. In a way the action had brought him comfort and had helped him to relax slightly but later that night, when he had been alone in his room without those prying eyes on him, the doubts and fears had crept up to him after all. How was he supposed to take on a strong Opast on his own? And more importantly, how would he be able to keep Shusei safe and unharmed now that his partner was in the body of a simple dog and couldn't access his God's talent or natural Zweilt's abilities like added speed or quicker healing? It had all seemed hopeless back then and it still seemed hopeless now. The night had brought no solutions or solace at all. Nothing looked better than yesterday. The only comfort he had found last night had been thanks to Shusei.

Tsukumo had given the brunet a large basket with a soft and comfortable pillow in it but during the night, Shusei had climbed upon Hotsuma's bed. He had given the blond a lick in the face as if to tell Hotsuma to stop worrying and that everything would be okay in the end after which Shusei had settled himself comfortable beside his partner on the bed. Hotsuma in turn had rolled towards Shusei and settled himself against the dog's lean, firm and warm body. He had buried his nose in Shusei's fur and inhaled deeply. Toko and Lia had used Shusei's shampoo to wash the dog's fur and Hotsuma was extremely grateful for this. If he closed his eyes, he could forget for a few moments what was all hanging above their heads and just imagine that he had Shusei beside him in his human body and that he was inhaling the smell of Shusei's silken, soft, brown strands of hair. It only lasted a few moments though before reality came back crashing down upon him and chased away anew the comfortable sleep Shusei's presence almost had lulled him into. Shusei on the other hand hadn't seemed to have the same problems with sleeping as Hotsuma. The dog had slept soundlessly and undisturbed. It had made Hotsuma wonder how Shusei could be so relaxed about the current situation the brunet had found himself in. Wasn't Shusei scared that he wouldn't be able to return back to his own body? Did his partner know something he didn't? If only Shusei could clue him in then too …

"What are your plans for today, Hotsuma?" Toko's voice piped up and brought Hotsuma out of his inner musings. Across the table, two pair of eyes were watching him expectantly.

Hotsuma shrugged. He hadn't truly given it any thought. But it were the school holidays and it was gorgeous weather outside … Suddenly Hotsuma felt the need to be outside and be no longer trapped indoors. He was already a prisoner of who he was. He didn't need to add even more to his sconce.

"I'm going to town. A game I ordered should be in by now," Hotsuma announced.

Toko immediately reacted upbeat. "Oh, we'll go with, won't we Tsukumo?" Toko turned her eyes upon her brother who was sitting beside her. Tsukumo nodded in reply whilst he chewed on the bite of bread he had just taken.

Hotsuma however straight away refused. "I don't need a fucking babysitter. I can take care of myself," he informed in an annoying tone of voice.

Toko pouted lightly. "We know, it's just with the current threat, we don't want you to get hurt."

"They aren't here yet," Hotsuma countered, "are they, Tachibana?" Three pair of golden eyes came to rest on the steward who was sitting at the head of the table.

"Hotsuma is right." A pleased grunt sounded from Hotsuma's direction. "However," Tachibana continued, his index finger raised in the air in a lecturing manner: "there is nothing wrong with being careful. And you all could do with some bonding time. Besides, it is such a wonderful day. It would be a shame to remain cooped up in the house."

"We can take the subway into town," Toko declared, happy to have Tachibana's support.

Hotsuma jumped up. The legs of his chair scraped over the wooden floor as the chair got forcefully pushed backwards during Hotsuma's action. "Hell no!" Hotsuma objected venomously. He was leaning slightly forward in Toko's direction, his hands planted firmly on the surface of the table. "Go find your own entertainment. You're not tagging along."

"Tagging along to where?" Lia's sleepy voice drifted over towards the breakfast table. The girl stood in the doorway and stretched whilst trying to stifle a yawn. During her stretching out, her pajama top lightly rose up and revealed her flat stomach and navel. Immediately Hotsuma turned bright red.

"Put on some clothes!" the blond shouted hotly, feeling embarrassed to hell. "No one here wants to see your nasty stuff!"

"Hm, what's wrong?" Sairi asked innocently. He slipped past Lia and leisurely made his way toward the table. "Can't handle some innocent beauty in your life, Renjou?"

Hotsuma pointed in Lia's direction. "There's nothing innocent or beautiful about that!" The blond's voice sounded as if he had just been forced to witness something utterly defiling and nasty.

"Such a virgin still," Sairi commented absently whilst he grabbed a bread roll.

"You fucking bastard!" Hotsuma roared in reply. "At least have the decency to acknowledge me when talking to me!"

Sairi's eyebrow rose as he turned his attention on the seething, younger blond. "Starving that much for attention, Renjou? How long has it been? Only one day your partner is a dog and you're already blowing a gasket cause he is no longer there to shower you in affection?"

"You flaming sex-on-legs mongrel! Shusei and I are just partners! Friends! Not everyone dives right away between the sheets with their partner!"

"You sound like you're jealous, Renjou." Sairi let the bread roll he had chosen fall on his plate and moved in one fluent motion to Hotsuma. He grabbed Hotsuma's chin and forced the younger Zweilt to look at him. "What's the matter? You jealous cause Shusei hasn't had his wicked way with you yet? Hasn't pushed you yet on the bed and dominated you?"

"You flaming, rotten bastard!" Hotsuma slapped Sairi's hand away. "Shusei and I aren't like that! Stop turning everyone into you!"

Sairi casually shrugged his shoulders and made his way back to the breakfast table, more precisely towards Toko. He stopped right beside her chair and knelt down like a knight would do in front of his queen after which he took Toko's hand. "My dearest Toko. The morning light does you no justice. You are more beautiful than the first rays of the sun. Allow me to offer you my sincerest good morning greeting."

Toko laughed kindheartedly whilst Hotsuma blew his top. "Goddamn it, Sairi! Don't you fucking ignore me!"

Sairi sighed. "Ugh. So noisy all the time." He released Toko's hand and got back to his feet. "It's a wonder Shusei hasn't turned deaf yet."

"Shusei doesn't mind!" Hotsuma roared back. "He finds me fine just the way I am!"

"If you say so," Sairi brushed Hotsuma off after which he walked to the chair at the table where he usually sat. Lia was already seated, a glass of orange juice in front of her.

Hotsuma was just about to fly off at the older blond anew when his attention shifted like lightning to Lia. The brown-haired girl had taken a bread roll and was looking for the butter on the table whilst her attention was more on the Murasame siblings instead of her quest. "So, where are we going?" she asked Toko and Tsukumo, still not having gotten an answer to her voiced question upon entering the room.

"Down town," Toko helpfully supplied.

Lia's face immediately cleared up. Absently she accepted the butter jar Sairi handed over. "Count me in," she exclaimed enthusiastic. "There has just opened a new store full with the latest fashion. We just have to stop there, Toko."

"Perfect," Toko chipped in. "I'm in need of a new summer dress."

"I'm sure we can find one there," Lia encouraged. "And if not, one of the assistants on my latest shoot handed me the address of an adorable second hand shop where you can find apparently about anything."

Toko looked sideways at her brother. "You'll come with, won't you Tsukumo?"

Tsukumo nodded whilst across the table Sairi spoke up. "I feel it my duty to accompany you lovely ladies on this important shopping quest. Tsukumo and I can judge the clothes you model for us and carry your purchases afterwards. No beautiful woman should be without an attentive partner who would walk to the end of the world should it be needed." Behind Sairi, Hotsuma made vomiting noises. "Sadly enough, some of us are still too immature to understand the true beauty of being a gentleman," Sairi continued, the insult clearly directed at Hotsuma. The younger blond immediately reacted.

Hotsuma pushed himself in Sairi's line of vision and shouted: "I can be a gentleman when I want to! Just the other day I carried Shusei's schoolbag for him!"

"Lucky Shusei," Sairi mumbled, but Hotsuma didn't hear him as God's Voice wasn't yet ready with his rant.

"I just don't see why I should wait on idiotic girls who try on ten times the same dress claiming they are different when one needs a magnifying glass to spot the stupid differences! And for the record," Hotsuma turned around and brought his attention on Toko and Lia, "**We** are not going anywhere! **I** am going into town and **I** will be going on my own. ** I** can perfectly take care of myself." Hotsuma stressed the 'we' and the 'I' part to get his message across. "The rest of you can do whatever. Go to town for all I care but go on your own. And don't dare to stalk me. I'll be just fine on my own."

Hotsuma's words weren't yet cold or Shusei released a protesting bark. "Yeah, yeah, we'll be fine," Hotsuma quickly corrected himself, indicating like this that he would at least take Shusei with him. Shusei gave a satisfied bark in reply.

Hotsuma leaned across the table and snatched a bread roll out of the bread basket before he started for the door. "Come on, Shusei. Let's go," he spoke to his partner, bread crumbs spraying everywhere from the bread stuffed in his mouth.

Shusei rose to his four paws and trotted after Hotsuma. Both Zweilts however got stopped by Tachibana who called after Hotsuma. The steward swiftly left his place at the table and made his way to the blond boy. "Ah, Hotsuma, take this," Tachibana announced. The man had in his hand a small black case that he held out in offering to Hotsuma.

Hotsuma stared uncomprehending at the object in Tachibana's hand. Their resident steward was holding Shusei's cell phone out to him. "Why do I need Shusei's cell phone?" Hotsuma demanded bluntly. "Shusei's a dog. It's not like he'll be in the need of calling or texting anyone."

Tachibana resisted the urge to roll his eyes. Sometimes Hotsuma could be so dense. "It's for you. Not Shusei. In case you need to contact someone or we need to get into contact with you. Since we can't use Shusei now as a middleman."

Hotsuma stared a few more seconds at the cell phone in silence and then accepted the device. With him not having a cell phone of his own and Shusei unable to play telephone operator for them currently, Tachibana had a point. Hotsuma let the mobile slip into his pocket. "Anything else?" he demanded whilst he was at it.

"Just don't forget that the others will be arriving somewhere this afternoon and that we have a team meeting scheduled in the late afternoon when everyone is back at the Twilight Mansion." Tachibana turned away from Hotsuma and focused on the other two Zweilt pairs present in the room. "That goes for all of you. If you do go out, make sure to keep an eye on the time."

Toko, Tsukumo, Lia and Sairi nodded, said that they understood and that they would make sure to be back on time. Immediately after their attention focused on the upending arrival of Yuki, Luka, Kuroto and Senshiro who had been at the Kamakura residence.

"It'll be good to have Yuki back with us, right Tsukumo?" Toko directed enthusiastically at her brother.

Tsukumo nodded. "Senshiro said the other day on the phone that …"

Hotsuma tuned them out. He stuffed his hands in the pockets of his trousers and left the dining room. Even if something stirred within him upon the promise of Yuki's return, the blond couldn't find it in himself to participate in the joyful conversation taking currently place at the breakfast table. The joy he usually felt about the promise of being near Yuki anew was now dulled. Shusei's current predicament tarnished the elating emotions Yuki normally conjured up within him.

Hotsuma's golden eyes drifted side-and downwards towards his partner. So far Yuki had exceeded all expectations. Yuki had used skills and spells no one had thought the boy being able to do. Hotsuma wondered if perhaps God's Light would also be able to help out with Shusei now. Perhaps Yuki would know of some way or spell to help get Shusei back into the brunet's body. The thought wasn't yet cold in his mind or guilt rose up in Hotsuma's stomach. It wasn't fair to expect Yuki to endanger his own mental health to sort out Shusei's problem. Yuki already had enough on his plate with always having to heal their wounds and protect them on the battlefield. They couldn't very well start running to the boy for every little thing. No, Shusei had managed to get inside the dog's head so surely his partner should also be able to reverse the effect. Shusei was the smartest person Hotsuma knew. If anyone could repeal this, it was his partner. Hotsuma only wished that Shusei would hurry up. He wanted his partner back. His real partner.

* * *

Outside the sun was shining and birds were chirping on the branches in the trees. Now and then a cheeky devil dove downwards to the freshly mowed lawn and snatched a small, spotted insect off the ground after which the bird flew off with its prize.

Shusei obediently walked beside Hotsuma on the driveway. He didn't show any interest in the birds nor did he chase after them. He left the birds to their own devices like a good, well bred dog would.

Hotsuma and Shusei passed the entrance gate and walked in comfortable silence towards the bus stop where they would be able to catch the bus to the street on which Hotsuma's favorite gaming shop lay. Hotsuma walked up to the Intel board and scanned the list of bus tours. Fifteen minutes before the next bus would arrive. He motioned Shusei over towards the bench that stood in the shade and dropped down on it. Shusei went to lie down in front of Hotsuma.

Hotsuma let his eyes drift around a bit, but found himself soon getting bored with the scenery around him. His fingers started to drum impatiently on the wooden bench when suddenly an idea entered his mind. His hand disappeared into his pocket and he pulled forth Shusei's cell phone. The action caught Shusei's attention. The dog lifted his head and turned his attention on Hotsuma, ears pointed forward and focused on his partner.

Hotsuma grinned. "You don't mind, do you?" The blond held Shusei's phone out so Shusei could see the lit screen. Hotsuma had opened the menu to Shusei's received messages.

Shusei puffed and went to lay his head back down upon his front paws. He didn't have anything to hide. A few moments later however, Shusei began to seriously doubt this thought. Hotsuma was turning redder with the second and the blond's thumb tapped harder and more aggressively on the phone's buttons with each passing second.

Finally Hotsuma snapped. The blond shot off the bench whilst throwing the phone on the seat. He towered accusingly over Shusei who looked upwards at his partner, wondering what Hotsuma could have found that had put the blond in this foul state.

"Who the hell is Ayu?!" Hotsuma yelled accusingly. "And why does Himako need to message you?! Or Shiori for that matter?!"

Shusei rolled his eyes. The girls were all from their school's student council and the messages had all been about student council business. Trust Hotsuma to read something more into them.

Shusei rose to his full height, walked a few paces away from Hotsuma and went to lie down again on the new spot.

"Don't you dare walk away from me, Shusei, you cheater!" Hotsuma roared, waving angrily a fist in the air. He snatched the cell phone back off the bench and held it out in front of him, shoving it in Shusei's direction as if it were criminal evidence. "Why are all those girls texting you?! That Shiori chick even texted you five times! **Five** times! Answer me, dammit, Shusei!"

Soft murmuring voices from across the street filled the answering silence and made Hotsuma whirl towards the street side. Across the street stood two older ladies. They each had a shopping bag in one of their hands. They were looking at him and Shusei and murmuring to each other whilst shaking their heads disapprovingly.

"What?!" Hotsuma snarled venomously. "Never heard of any privacy, you gossiping old hags?! Go and peep at someone else!"

The two ladies made a disapproving sound before they left, their mouths set in a haughty manner.

Shusei sighed. Hotsuma's social skills were once again top notch. He rose to his four paws and gave a disapproving bark in Hotsuma's direction. The blond immediately whirled back towards him.

"What?!" Hotsuma demanded all fired up. "Don't you dare take their side," he pointed in the direction of the retreating backs of the two elderly ladies. "They started it with their no manners!"

Shusei resisted the urge to roll with his eyes. Just because someone was impolite to you, didn't mean you had to lower yourself to their level and return the favor. Then again, this was just the way his partner was, wasn't it? Hotsuma never knew when to quit or to let bygones be bygones. He was a passionate soul and that was something that Shusei loved about Hotsuma and that he didn't want the blond to lose. If only Hotsuma would learn to tone it down now and then though …

A sound to his left caught Shusei's attention and he turned his head sideways. The bus was coming. They would have to continue this some other time, preferably when he was back in his own body and could verbally take part in the conversation. Although that wouldn't make much of a difference cause if Hotsuma refused to see things some other way, then there was no way to change the blond's mind. Not even he was able to exercise a complete control over Hotsuma's actions and thoughts despite what everyone else at the Twilight Mansion seemed to think. All he was capable off was trying to make Hotsuma pause and think about something. The outcome however was always up to Hotsuma himself. Whether the blond was willing to change his mind and bend to Shusei's demand was Hotsuma and Hotsuma's decision alone.

Shusei walked over to the sign of the bus stop. He glanced backwards at his partner and released a single bark to alert Hotsuma that the bus was on its way and to motion the blond to come and stand beside him. Shusei doubted that the bus driver would stop for a dog alone.

Hotsuma's facial expression still predicted a thunderstorm but at least the blond conceded. He gave an angry huff and then went to join Shusei. His eyes travelled aside to the dog beside him. "Don't think this is over, Shusei," he warned. "You still owe me an explanation for your cheating."

Shusei sighed inwardly. He had the feeling that it would turn out to be a long day. A very long day …

* * *

TBC

Author's note: Hotsuma not being impressed with Lia's pj's is a small play on chapter 9 where Toko walks in on Hotsuma who is brushing his teeth in the bathroom bare-chested and she is offended by this.

Author's note 2: Like I warned, not much happened this chapter. Just a calm flowing stream to move the story forward towards certain points I have planned later on.

**Spoilers for chapter 4:** Hotsuma finds himself unexpectedly at a pet shop whilst at the Twilight Mansion two visitors are the harbingers of bad news … Make sure you don't miss out on the next thrilling chapter of "A Zweilt's best friend"!


End file.
